Philosophy might seem aloof, detached from real life or the real affairs of human activity.  But quite the opposite, philosophy has everything to do with our real lives.  Philosophy is the questioning and probing of the essential human life questions:  Who am I?  Where am I going?  What really matters?  Our answers to…

    We have an awesome babysitter who is from a big family–she is the sixth of nine children.  Well, I ask her if they do immunizations–Sebastian had just gotten his.  I was just making small talk.      This sweet girl chuckles and says: “My Mom used to waive a few of them, including…

   I laughed so hard at how LONG it took five kids to answer my question, “How was your day?”  They had completed their first day of school and all had lots to report.  But TWO HOURS later I had to call an end to it so I could get dinner going and get them…

   Some of my favorite family members are waging war against sex trafficking.  I have relatives that are giving their lives to end this horrible slavery.     But did you know that Planned Parenthood aids and abets sex trafficking?  Today I heard a shocking testimony from a former employee of PP that she was…

“You love all your enemies, and you love them very tenderly, with the exception of only one; and you willingly forgive that one there all the evil he has done to you, with the exception of one sole insult; and still you do not intend to take other revenge for it, if only that you…

     There’s nothing I love quite so much. . . as new plants for my garden!      I am planting a “scent” garden for Clare, who has a supersonic sense of smell, and for whom lovely scents are as good as therapy!  Today we planted 6 French Lavender, 2 mint, 3 eucalyptus.  Then…

Pope Francis says:     “How much good we can do, if only we try to speak this language of hospitality. . . .  This requires open doors, especially the doors of our heart . . . [and] welcoming those who do not think as we do, who do not have faith or who have lost…

    A major advantage that people of faith have, people with an active spiritual life, is that, when hardships come, they have a way of coping.  They might have the wisdom to see that the hardship is minor, in contrast to their many blessings.  They might have a practice of gratitude.  They might imagine…

     Clare and I have been at an evaluation center several times this week, testing her for learning differences such as dyslexia, as well as spectrum issues, including asbergers (no longer in the DSM as an official diagnosis) and autism.       I am overjoyed to report that she has no signs at…

   It is amazing to think that Sebastian is ONE YEAR OLD!  He is so precious: his little blond curls, his sweet, husky voice, his gentle demeanor.  He toddles, peeking around chairs and smiling at you.  He plays with his very, very favorite thing, balls, any and all the time: soccer balls, footballs, exercise balls,…